Monday, December 13, 2010

If they would just let him chew gum, he would probably sit up straight.

Retail centers have been preparing for Christmas since before Halloween. Interestingly, however, I haven't heard much about preparations for New Year's Day, despite the fact that it occurs only one week after Christmas wraps up.

But that hasn't stopped me. I'm already getting fired up for 2011, and I'm starting by brainstorming a list of potential resolutions.

My perennial resolution for the past decade has been to improve my posture, which has never been great. As a young girl, I wasn't wispy enough to be a ballerina or a gymnast, and I'm sure towering over my male classmates in junior high didn't help either.

What surprises me, though, is that my gum-chewing addiction also hasn't helped ... yet. According to the Wall Street Journal, a recent study suggests that chewing gum "improves the postural stability of people attempting to stand still, feet together, arms at their side." And earlier research indicates that chewing gum reduces stress, which is considered a source of unstable posture. Interesting.

Between the stress of the holiday season and my goals for 2011, I know one behavior-change that's getting scratched off the resolution list right now. Piece of gum anyone?